1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a torque
control system for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a torque control system for internal combustion engines which enables engine torque control with a high responsiveness to, for instance, vehicle acceleration.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese unexamined patent application laid-open No. 1-130030 discloses a torque control system which enables an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle to have a high responsiveness to acceleration at an early stage thereof. Specifically, torque is applied to such an extent that the rpm (rotational speed) of the internal combustion engine is increased by the preset rpm from the instantaneous rpm of the internal combustion engine at the time when the acceleration command is detected.
In addition, Japanese unexamined patent application laid-open No. 59-185872 discloses a torque control system in which, when the rpm of an internal combustion engine falls below the instantaneous rpm of the internal combustion engine in an idling operation, generator operation of a generator-motor connected to an internal combustion engine stops and the motor operation starts to prevent any rpm drop.
However, in each of the above conventional torque application methods, as the torque application is stopped only after actual rpm rise is detected, there is a drawback that electric power consumption is wasted and energy is lost by continuously applying torque to the internal combustion engine even after the torque of the internal combustion engine has begun to increase.